[Al_U_Card]

I like the idea of the H lead, but hate my H holding so I opt for a low D. Never like pickling my pard's trump honors and D may force as well as H esp. since pard can have a few more of them than H.

[mike777]

Winstonm, on Nov 11 2005, 12:33 PM, said:

kgr, on Nov 11 2005, 07:25 AM, said:

I'm surprised that the experts choice is low ♦. As a beginner they teached me not to underlead A or K against a trump contract.
Here opps did bid to game via a limit so I don't feel the need to lead aggresive, and also I have a singleton trump giving my partner extra trump length. I don't want to give them an extra trick by leading a low diamond.
Can the experts explain me why they think a ♦ lead is better here?
Remark: most of the time I play MP's and I almost never underlead an A or a K. Probably logic at MP's?

No world class player here but pretty well read.

My understanding is that the choice of opening leads is based on what type of overall defensive scheme you believe is right for the hand.

There are 4 basic defensive concepts:

1) Active defense.
2) Passive defense
3) Forcing defense.
4) Trump leads

The choice of schemes depends on what hand-types you expect to be up against.

Active:
When the auction has shown some type of length in dummy as a source of side tricks or when it's obvious the opponents have plenty of HCP for their contract, it us usually right to lead aggressively and try to build tricks fast before declarer's losers in those suits are discarded....so even low from KJx becomes a choice.

Passive:
When it appears the opponents have barely enough for game or have stretched and no long suit for discards is apt to be lying around, then the object becomes not to help declarer and let him find his own way....in these cases, underleading a Kxxx might blow the trick needed for make or break.

Forcing:
This is when either you hold or you suspect partner holds length in trumps - try to force opponents to ruff so you end up with equal or longer trumps then your winning cards cannot be ruffed away. Long suit leads usually work best here.

Trump leads:
The most difficult to know when it is right - usually either 100% right or totally wrong. The key is to estimate how many times you will be able to lead trumps verses the number of trumps estimated to be in dummy compared to the number of losing cards declarer will need to ruff - not easy to do.

I chose on this hand to select a passive stance, letting declarer find his own 10 tricks - although argued against by some, a club looks to me to be both passive and somewhat active: if pard has QJxx and the others are divided Axx, Kxx we have got a head start on building a club trick; conversely, if declarer hold AKJ opposite xx or xxx I have not given him anything that wasn't his to begin with - the Queen is onside.
However, I'm also aware of some risks in a club lead....Jxx in dummy and AK9 in declarer's hand and he guesses right or worse yet, KJxxx in dummy and declarer with Axx.

There was a time in my life when I shied away from the leads from 3 small like the plague - but over time saw so many experts find these leads when they were right that I lost my bias against them and now routinely make this lead if I think it is the suit that should be led.

So I would classify the club lead as Passactive - an attempt at a passive lead that has some active overtones.

Winston

Great Post WistonM thank you. I also love that given this hand and auction posters found reasons to make all 4 choices.

[Fluffy]

♥: I don't lead agressively against balanced dummies. Specially when the game can be an overbid.

[temp3600]

Here is the full hand :

Scoring: IMP

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A trump lead picks up partner's queen for declarer. A heart also makes it easy for declarer.
On a club lead, declarer will probably go down.
A diamond lead makes the defense interesting. If we return the ♦9 and partner gives us a ruff, then the defense only takes three tricks. However, if partner finds the nice defense of a club switch at trick 3, declarer can go wrong.